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By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog5 commentsI recently spoke with a friend of mine who owns a large general repair shop in the Midwest. His father founded the business in 1975. He was telling me that although he’s busy, he’s also very frustrated. When I probed him more about his frustrations, he said that it’s hard to find qualified technicians. My friend employs four technicians and is looking to hire two more. I then asked him, “How long does a technician last working for you.” He looked puzzled and replied, “I never really thought about that, but I can tell that except for one tech, most technicians don’t last working for me longer than a few years.”
Judging from personal experience as a shop owner and from what I know about the auto repair industry, I can tell you that other than a few exceptions, the turnover rate for technicians in our industry is too high. This makes me think, do we have a technician shortage or a retention problem? Have we done the best we can over the decades to provide great pay plans, benefits packages, great work environments, and the right culture to ensure that the techs we have stay with us?
Finding and hiring qualified automotive technicians is not a new phenomenon. This problem has been around for as long as I can remember. While we do need to attract people to our industry and provide the necessary training and mentorship, we also need to focus on retention. Having a revolving door and needing to hire techs every few years or so costs your company money. Big money! And that revolving door may be a sign of an even bigger issue: poor leadership, and poor employee management skills.
Here’s one more thing to consider, for the most part, technicians don’t leave one job to start a new career, they leave one shop as a technician to become a technician at another shop. The reasons why they leave can be debated, but there is one fact that we cannot deny, people don’t quit the company they work for, they usually leave because of the boss or manager they work for.
Put yourselves in the shoes of your employees. Do you have a workplace that communicates, “We appreciate you and want you to stay!”
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By carmcapriotto
Derek Kaufman, Managing Partner at Schwarz Advisors, discusses the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and the potential for alternative fuels to coexist with EVs. He explores the recent European Union's mandate to eliminate internal combustion engines by 2035 and the possibility of allowing fuels to keep ICE cars alive. The conversation then shifts to e-fuels, their production process, and the challenges of scaling up renewable electricity for their production. Both Derek and Carm emphasize the importance of finding a balanced approach that considers different solutions to address climate change.
Derek Kaufman, Managing Partner, Schwartz Advisors, President of C3 Network. Listen to Derek’s previous episodes HERE.
Show Notes
The European Union's Mandate and E-Fuels (00:01:19) Discussion about the European Union's mandate to eliminate the sale of internal combustion engines by 2035 and the potential of e-fuels to coexist with electric vehicles. Introduction to E-Fuels (00:02:39) Explanation of what e-fuels are, how they are derived, and their potential to act as a carbon-neutral replacement for gasoline. Challenges and Potential of E-Fuels (00:03:55) Discussion about the complications and costs associated with e-fuels, the need for renewable electricity to produce them, and the efforts to ramp up production through the E-Fuel Alliance. The transition to battery electric vehicles (00:08:50) Discussion on the increasing power demand for battery electric cars by 2050 and the need to transition the power grid to support electric vehicle usage. The potential for alternative fuels (00:10:05) Exploration of the role of low emission or carbon neutral fuels in coexisting with battery electric vehicles, particularly in heavy trucks and industrial equipment. The complementing technologies of batteries and internal combustion engines (00:12:00) Explanation of how batteries and internal combustion engines can work together in different applications, highlighting the importance of both technologies in the future of transportation. The transition to AI in automotive service (00:18:13) Discussion on the potential of AI and machine learning to assist in vehicle service procedures and the importance of having the right talent and training. The importance of human interface in automation (00:20:00) Comparison of two companies' customer service experiences during a power outage, highlighting the value of a personal connection and efficient communication. The future of AI in automotive service (00:22:21) Exploration of the possibility of combining AI solutions with human expertise to enhance customer service and improve efficiency in auto repair shops.
Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Auto Care
Learn more about NAPA Auto Care and the benefits of being part of the NAPA family by visiting https://www.napaonline.com/en/auto-care
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Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
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By Joe Marconi
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By autoguy
Looks like I am the first poster here... Outside the shop I enjoy fishing. Mostly fresh water, reservoirs. LG Bass mostly. Anyone here into fishing?
Once in a while I will go out on the ocean, charter boat mostly, and fish for blues and stripers. Looking forward to doing some fishing this year.
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By Bob K
I've been thinking about the sale. Some days i have customers who wont or cant buy a wiper blade or an air filter. The next day the customer will buy anything i recommend. I just cant put my finger on it. I do however liken it to fishing. Some days the fish bite and some days they just dont. Doesn't matter what bait you use are how great your sales skills are. Some days they just wont buy. I sometimes feel like I have failed somehow those days. Then the next day i feel like a selling machine. What a roller coaster ride it can be. I would appreciate input from veteran shop owners on how to deal with the ups and downs. Thanks in advance. Bob
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By xrac
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